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Thread: Cross Training?

  1. #1
    PJO Guest

    Cross Training: Good or Bad?

    I've read a lot of posts were someone will say "I've studied Wing Chung for 2 years and Wushu for 3 etc..." I was wondering how the Martial Arts community feels about this. Personally I don't believe in it. Many martial arts have quite different fundementals ie. Hard Style Karate and Kung Fu. In my eyes crosstraining seems like it would make you a jack of all trades and master of none. I believe that if you can't find everything you need from the art that your in than it isn't the right art for you. Let me know your opinions.
    PJO

  2. #2
    Raymond Guest

    Yes cross train

    I think its important to have a good understanding
    of your chosen martial art before you cross train.
    If not, it can be very confusing for inexperienced
    people. Once you are quite good, do cross train to add other techniques, to cover your art's weakness, and having a basic idea of how other arts fight will help immensely because you won't be caught off guard.

  3. #3
    Jaguar Wong Guest

    Crosstraining = good ...... Style Hopping = Bad

    If you're just taking a year or two of one style, then moving on, and not even incorporating the previous style in anything else you do, then you're style hopping. You're basically adding stuff to your resume', not your arsenal.

    A lot of times you will see someone list their styles as XX years in Wing Chun, XX years in Eagle Claw, XX years in Shuai Chiao, and to some it appears that they may be just sampling from the pot, but if you look deeper, you will find that they are still practicing at least one of the styles they list. Chances are that is their base, or core style. The other arts, even if they're no longer practicing them, are/were used to suppliment their base.

    If you have a good solid base, then crosstraining will only help you become more comfortable against a wider variety of opponents/situations.

    Jaguar Wong

    "If you learn to balance a tack hammer on your head
    then you learn to head up a balanced attack!"
    - The Sphinx

  4. #4
    joedoe Guest
    The old masters used to cross train all the time. However, I think you should cross train styles that complement each other. Each style you cross train should provide skills that are lacking in other styles you cross train, the aim being to get a rounded skill set.

    Or you can follow the specialist line of thinking and get really good in one particular skill set.

    cxxx[]:::::::::::>
    You're fu(king up my chi

  5. #5
    Mr. Nemo Guest
    The old masters did cross train (some of them, at least). PJO is correct that it's bad to train in two arts that have different fundamentals. However, two arts that don't conflict with each other are good to train in, such as two arts that deal with different ranges of combat.

    The posters here are also correct about having a strong base in a single art - this will make your crosstraining much more useful.

  6. #6
    Ryu Guest
    Jaguar Wong beat me to it.

    Crosstraining is when you actually spend time learning, understanding, and using the martial art you are taught, and developing it so that it can be used in your aresenal.

    I will say, however, that I don't think a person necessarily has to stay in the same SCHOOL for years, etc. During my grappling years, for example, I've spent a year or so with Carlos Machado, trained in some of Paul Vunak's grappling systems, spent years training judo with some guys, spent another year at another judo dojo, etc.

    The point is that you do not take a "week" of grappling and think you know how to grapple, then take a week of boxing and think you know how to box, and a week of kickboxing, etc.

    You have to always study these arts. You always train them, you always use them, you always go back to the schools and learn them.

    I've been grappling now for almost 6 years in various judo schools, clubs, BJJ schools, etc.

    The time I've spent on my grappling training is much more than a simple year, but I don't necessarily think you have to stay with one particular school forever. Another school may address something you want at that moment, and you train it to make yourself better at it, then move on to another, etc. But you still stay in the "art" you are in whether it be grappling, boxing, kickboxing, etc.

    Some people think this is disloyal to the dojo...
    :( I've thought about that too. But just because I leave a dojo to work on another aspect of my game doesn't mean I won't return, etc.
    Well.... I may be alone in that kind of thinking.
    I'm more loyal to myself learning what I want to learn rather than staying with a school out of politics sake...

    hope no one stones me :D

    Ryu




    "One who takes pride in shallow knowledge or understanding is like a monkey who delights in adorning itself with garbage."

  7. #7
    Martial Joe Guest
    Personaly I recamend one stand up art and one ground art...

    Thats what I have done...

    I plan on learning submissions and transform my wrestling into sub wrestling...

    IXIJoe KaveyIXI
    I am Sharky's main man...

  8. #8
    SantaClaus Guest
    jaguar wong is correct. I'm glad he could clarify that.

    Then again, I'm not gonna pay for tkd. I can just work on kicking in the same ways they do. Changing focus in training. Or take up boxing or wrestling as an additional sport. I also cross train with soccer, kickboxing, san shou, hiking.


    HIKING IS MENTIONED IN TAOIST CLASSICS FOR BOOSTING CHI.

    Its all good, just make your kung fu iron, and play.

  9. #9
    Martial Joe Guest
    I was actually thinking about how soccer could make your kicking skills alot! better...

    IXIJoe KaveyIXI
    I am Sharky's main man...

  10. #10
    CerberusXXL Guest
    Cross training can be very beneficial if the martial artist is able to make the best of what he/she has learned.
    On the other hand, I think that jumping from one martial arts to another too quickly can lead to poor results.

  11. #11
    Chang Style Novice Guest
    The original cross trainer was Yeshua ben Yosef, who achieved some amazing results with his techniques, including the redemption of all mankind's sins. He may have taken it a little far, though. You probably don't need to cross train quite as much as that.

    _______________________
    I am the Grand Ultimate Silk Pyjama

  12. #12
    joedoe Guest
    Cross training = good if you train each style solidly and learn the principles properly.

    Cross dressing = bad no matter what the circumstances :D

    cxxx[]:::::::::::>
    You're fu(king up my chi

  13. #13
    Repulsive Monkey Guest

    Hhmm

    I personally would not bother to cross-train as a rule as learning to master one single art usually does take a life-time. People do seem to take an interest (in varying degress) in other arts and incorporate what they learn or maybe go the whole hog and drop it for another. It all depends on what you are looking for. If you are not happy with committing yourself to the mastery of one art, then maybe you want to cross-examine others looking for similar threads, or even just compatible ones. This is ok if its you want from martial arts, but I must say sticking with one art and mastering seems to be a sadly underated thing nowadays.

    Not all Masters cross-trained, this was a generalised mistake to make who ever said it earlier.

  14. #14
    Nichiren Guest
    jaguar wong and ABandit are correct. I think cross-training can be rewarding but style hopping is useless. Stay with one style and try others.

    E.g. if you would like to learn to deliver devastating kicks and have to choose between Thai and tkd the choise is simple. What is most compatible with WC --> Thai!

  15. #15
    apoweyn Guest
    what, exactly, do we mean when we describe "mastering" a style?

    i know, abstractly, that we're referring to remaining in one style and devoting all your efforts to it. but "mastering"? when does someone feel that they've mastered a style? nevermind when the rest of us see fit to describe them that way. when do they feel that they've gotten that style completely right?

    so what does it mean? being able to make that one style work in any circumstances? how do you test that?

    that's part of my problem. i have no good, working, testable definition of "master." it's an honorific. not meaningless, but not an objective measurement either.


    stuart b.

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